Huskers Begin Spring Season at Roger Withrow Invitational

The No. 10 Nebraska rifle team will travel to Murray, Ky., to compete in the Roger Withrow Invitational this Saturday, Jan. 18. The match is set to begin at 9 a.m. (CT). The six-team field includes four ranked teams highlighted by No. 1 Kentucky, No. 5 Murray State, No. 19 North Georgia, Jacksonville State and UAB.  NU enters 2025 with an 8-5 record, including a 3-2 mark in the PRC.

Junior Emma Rhode had an impressive first half of the season, boasting the highest smallbore average in the nation with an average score of 592.25. Rhode also captured the second-highest smallbore score in team history with a mark of 594 in NU’s home win against UTEP on Nov. 10. That same day, Rhode posted an aggregate score of 1,190, the second-highest individual aggregate score in school history. 

During the break, Rhode competed in the Winter Air Gun Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo. along with fellow teammates Alivia Perkins, Maddy Moyer, and Grace Corbett. Rhode finished first place in the open final and second place in the junior final. 

“Championship season is here and we are excited to be back in the range,” said Coach Richard Clark.  “The team has been putting in great work over the last couple of weeks during our winter camp. I think we are in a great spot to start our spring season off on the right foot at the Withrow Invitational and get one step closer to making it back to NCAAs.”

The Huskers last competition was on Nov. 17, when Nebraska defeated No. 14 Akron, 4,710-4,707, and fell to No. 12 Navy, 4,717-4,710. Rhode grabbed first place overall with an aggregate score of 1,189. 
 
No. 1 Kentucky enters the Roger Withrow Invitational unbeaten while posting an average aggregate score of 4,732.88 this season. Kentucky leads the series all-time with a record of 43-13. 
 
No. 5 Murray State comes in with a 4-3 record, with losses coming against No. 1 Kentucky, No. 8 Georgia Southern, and No. 9 Ole Miss. The Racers have shot an average aggregate score of 4,720 on the season. Murray State leads the series with a record of 15-13.
 
No. 19 North Georgia starts their spring season coming off a fourth-place finish at Jacksonville State on Nov. 24. The Nighthawks have posted an average aggregate score of 4,649.2 on the season. The two teams have faced off just once, with Nebraska taking the win on Nov. 10, 2018, defeating North Georgia 4,669-4,568.
 
Jacksonville State enters the match with an average aggregate score of 4,671.6 from the fall season. The Huskers and Gamecocks have played 19 times since 2000, with NU leading the series 11-8.
 
UAB has posted an average aggregate score of 4,559 so far this season. The Big Red hold a 5-0 series record against the Blazers.
 
Following the tournament, Nebraska will travel to West Point, N.Y., to take on UAB, Army, and Mount Aloysius on Jan. 25. The match is set to begin at 12 p.m. (CT).